Winding mechanisms



May 28, 1968 J. K. P. MACKIE WINDING MECHANISMS S Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 23, 1966 May 28, 1968 Filed May 23, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 28, 1958 J. K. P. MACKIE 3,385,533

WINDING MECHANISMS Filed May 23, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent "we 3,385,533 WINDING MECHANISMS John K. P. Mackie, Belfast, Ireland, assignor to James Mackie & Sons Limited, Belfast, Northern, Ireland, a British company Filed May 23, 1966, Ser. No. 552,007 Claims priority, application Great Britain, May 24, 1965, 21,909/65 13 Claims. (Cl. 24254.4)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for automatically tucking the loose end of a wound textile sliver ball into the ball. A guide positions the loose end adjacent a blade, which blade is movable towards and into the wound ball along a path generally transverse to the axis about which the ball was wound and generally tangential to the outer circumference of the ball; the blade first engaging the loose end of the sliver and then penetrating the ball to tuck the loose end therein.

This invention relates to the formation of balls of textile sliver. Such balls are wound by means of a driving roller which causes the ball to turn on a rotary spindle to which the sliver is fed with a traversing action to give a so-called cross-wound ball. At the completion of winding the ball is doffed, usually by being slid off the free end of the rotary spindle. In the past this was carried out manually but more recently automatic dofiing has been introduced so that the ball is pushed mechanically oif the spindle."

Despite the fact that the actual dofiing operation is carried out automatically a subsequent manual operation has still been necessary in order to secure the loose end of sliver left at the completion of the ball by tucking it under one of the previous turns of sliver.

According to the present invention the sliver end is automatically tucked into the ball by means of apparatus having a support for the ball, a tucking blade, and means for controlling the relative positions of the sliver end and the blade in an axial direction so that when the blade is caused to penetrate the surface of the ball it first engages the sliver end and then enters the ball in a generally tangential direction and generally transverse to the axis of the ball (that is the line through the ball about which the ball was wound) so as to tuck the sliver end into the ball. In this way the previously required manual operation is eliminated and the complete sequence of operation is automatic so that the attention required by the operator is correspondingly reduced.

By Way of definition, a line may intersect a circle either as a diameter, as a chord or as a tangent. Considering the outer circumference of the wound ball as a circle (taken in a plane generally transverse to the axis about which the ball was wound) and considering the path of the tucking blade as a line, it is readily apparent that the path of the blade cannot be a true tangent to the ball since penetration of the ball by the blade would then be completely eliminated. Further, it has been found that effective tucking is not obtained if the blade follows a diametrical path. Rather, the present invention contemplates that the blade path will follow a chord through the circle. Further, since it is contemplated that this chord will be relatively close to its parallel tangent line and rela tively far from its parallel diametrical line, this path is referred to for convenience as generally tangential. It should be noted, however, that the path of the blade is not necessarily linear. For example, if the blade is driven it may be slightly curved and it may move along an arcuate path to penetrate the ball. Furthermore, it is not necessary that the path of the blade movement should be directly 3,385,533 Patented May 28, 1968 at right angles to the axis about which the ball was wound. It may, for example, be inclined at a small angle, for example, an angle equivalent to that at which the turns are wound on the ball by the traversing action of the nozzle.

In order to provide the necessary register between the blade and the sliver end so that the latter is engaged and tucked into the ball the blade itself is preferably fixed in a direction parallel to the axis of the ball and the axial position of the sliver end is controlled. The alternative would be to move the blade axially to a position for engagement with the sliver end but this introduces undue complication to the operating mechanism. With a fixed mounting for the blade it is a relatively simple matter to provide a mechanism for driving the 'blade along the necessary tangential path which causes it to intercept the I ball on the support. This mechanism may conveniently be pneumatically operated. It is, however, also possible for the blade to be completely fixed and for the necessary penetration to be brought about by movement of the ball in relation to the fixed blade.

It is found in practice that a single stroke of the blade is almost always sufficient to produce the necessary tucking action. As an added precaution, however, the blade may execute a second stroke so that the sliver end is held in position even more firmly. The blade may be of approximately the same width as the sliver to be wound and may be secured to a mounting permitting a slight degree of swivelling movement. It is found that the best results are obtained if the blade has a square chisel-like edge but other configurations are also possible and the term blade is intended to cover any construction of elongated member which is capable of engaging the sliver end and tucking it into the ball.

In order to bring the sliver end into position for engagement by the blade a locating member may be provided which may include a guide portion and a stop. Accordingly when the ball is moved on to the support the sliver end is automatically guided into the position of register and this may be assisted by the provision of an air nozzle which serves to blow the sliver along the guide portion and into contact with the stop.

All of the operations just described may be carried out while the ball is still on the winding machine in which case the winding spindle constitutes the support for the ball. Preferably, however, the ball is first doffed before the tucking operation in which case the tucking apparatus constitutes a separate component. The support for the sliver ball may then be in the form of a cradle and in order to hold the ball while the blade is driven the ball may be raised from the cradle to bring it into engagement with a stationary plate. In some circumstances, however, it may be more convenient for the ball to remain on the cradle and for the plate to be moved into contact with the ball.

Apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view showing the tucking apparatus in relation to the winding apparatus;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation showing the tucking apparatus immediately before operation;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view corresponding to FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an elevation corresponding to FIGURE 2, showing the apparatus during operation, and,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view corresponding to FIGURE 4.

Generally speaking the tucking apparatus will form part of or be used in association with winding apparatus and FIGURE 1 shows the relationship between these two components. In some circumstances, however, the tucking apparatus may be used independently of the winding apparatus and it is shown effectively in isolation in the remaining figures. In FIGURE 1 the winding apparatus itself is shown in outline and its operation is described in more detail in the copending United States application No. 469,725, dated July 6, 1965, now Patent No. 3,348,783. For present purposes it is suflicient to say that a sliver ball 1 is wound on a spindle 2, by means of a driving roller 3. Sliver 4 is supplied to the ball 1 by a nozzle 5 which is caused to traverse as indicated by the arrow 6, to provide a cross-wound ball. At the completion of the ball, determined, for example, by a yardage counter the traversing action of the nozzle 5 is first stopped so that the last turn or part turn of sliver is wound on the ball free of cross wind as shown at 7. As described in the copending application referred to above the nozzle 5 is stopped at a pre-determined position so that the sliver end is also in a pre-determined position in relation to the remainder of the ball 1 which facilitates the subsequent tucking operation.

When the ball 1 is complete the spindle 2 is moved away from the driving roller into the position shown in FIGURE 1 and this movement causes a trapper bar 11, which is moved by a linkage 12 connected to the spindle 2, to trap the sliver against the driving roller 3. A stripper plate 13 having a projecting portion 14 then comes into action so as to slide the ball 1 to the left off the end of the spindle 2. The spindle 2 includes a non-reversible mechanism which prevents the sliver from unwinding from the ball 1 and this in combination with the trapping of the sliver by the bar 11 and assisted by the provision of a knife 15 which moves with the stripper plate 13, causes the sliver 4 to 'be parted as the ball is doffed so that the loose end hangs down in front of the ball.

After dofiing, the ball 1 is received by a cradle 20 forming part of the tucking apparatus and is located in the position shown as 1A in FIGURE 1. In this position the ball is located beneath a holding plate 21 which is omitted from FIGURE 1 for simplicity. The subsequent operation of the apparatus is controlled pneumatically from the same pneumatic control circuit as controls the winding apparatus of which the tucking apparatus etfectively forms part. Successive stages in the operation are controlled by appropriate pneumatic valves. As the stripper plate 13 moves to push the ball off the spindle 2 its extension 14 strikes a toggle trip switch 8 which, how ever, when engaged in this direction does not operate. When the plate 13 has pushed the ball to the required position on the cradle 20 its projection 14 engages a further switch 9 so as to operate an air nozzle 23. The stripper plate then reverses and travels back towards its rest position, its projection 14 again engaging the switch 8 which when engaged from this direction starts the sequence of operation of the tucking apparatus.

During the dofiing operation a guide surface 22, the shape of which is best seen in FIGURE 1 prevents the sliver end from getting behind a tucking blade 25. To ensure that the end is in register with the blade 25 and not displaced as shown in dotted lines 4A in FIGURE 2, an air nozzle 23 blows the sliver end along the guide surface until the sliver end comes into engagement with a stop 24 in which position the sliver end is in register with the blade 25.

This blade is of approximately the same width as the sliver and is formed with a blunt chisel edge 26. It is attached to the end of a piston rod of a pneumatic ram 28 by means of a mounting 27 recessed to engage a guide bar 32 which is shaped so as to allow a slight degree of swivelling movement of the blade during operation. Operation of the ram 28 drives the blade 25 vertically and its location is such that its stroke of travel causes it to enter the ball 1 in a generally tangential direction.

Before the blade 25 comes into action a pair of lifter brackets 30 are raised by a pneumatic ram 31 so as to pass upwardly between the rails defining the cradle 20 and thus to lift the ball 1 into engagement with the holding plate 21. This prevents rotation of the ball 1 when it is penetrated by the blade 25. 7

As soon as the ball 1 is firmly held the blade 25 comes into action under the control of its pneumatic ram 28 as previously described. During this movement it first engages the length of sliver 4 and then tucks this into the ball. The blade then withdraws and then makes a further operative stroke to ensure that the sliver end is fully tucked in. After this the blade 25 returns to its inoperative position and the lifter brackets 30 drop to the position of FIGURES 2 and 3. FIGURES 4 and 5 show the raised position of the lifter brackets with the blade 25 at the full extent of its operative stroke in which it is inserted into the ball 1. As can be seen it enters the ball in a generally tangential direction.

After the lifting brackets 30 have been lowered the tucking operation is complete and meanwhile a further ball is being wound on the winding apparatus. When this is completed and dotted it engages the first ball and slides it to the left along the cradle 20 which as illustrated is of sufficient length to accommodate two balls. The first ball is then removed as required or may be left in position until it is pushed off the end of the cradle by the next following ball.

As illustrated the tucking apparatus works in conjunction with the winding apparatus and shares its pneumatic circuits. As mentioned previously, however, the tucking apparatus may be completely independent. Moreover, although the blade 25 is shown operating with a ball supported on the cradle 20 a similar operation could occur with the ball 1 merely supported by the spindle 2. As already described this spindle has a non-reversing mechanism so that the ball would be prevented from rotating. With such an arrangement the ball would then be doifed after the completion of the tucking operation. In another example the ball could be lowered on to a stationary blade in order to impale it on the latter so as to tuck-in the end, and then raised to clear the blade.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for securing the end of a sliver extending from a cross-wound ball of the type wound about an axis and having a generally circular outer circumference taken in a plane generally transverse to said axis, comprising: support means for supporting the ball, a tucking blade positioned proximate to said support means for operative cooperation therewith, actuating means for causing relative movement between the blade and the support means so that the blade moves, relative to the ball, when a ball is mounted on the support means, in a direction generally tangential to the outer circumference and generally transverse to the axis of the ball, and control means for controlling the relative position of said blade and said sliver end so that upon operation of said actuating means with a ball on the support means the blade will first engage the sliver end and then penetrate the ball in said generally tangential and generally transverse direction and thereby tuck the sliver end into the ball.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said blade is fixed against movement in a direction parallel to the axis of a ball on said support means, and said control means controls the position of said sliver end in a direction parallel to said axis.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the actuating means causes the said blade to move along a path generally tangential to but intersecting a ball on the support. 35a

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which said actuating means comprises a pneumatically operated drive mechanism.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said drive mechanism produces two strokes of said blade in succession.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which said blade is of approximately the same width as the sliver to be wound and has a mounting permitting a slight degree of swivelling movement.

7. Apparatus for securing the end of sliver extending from a cross-wound ball of the type wound about an axis and having an outer circumference taken in a plane generally transverse to said axis by tucking the end into the ball, the apparatus having a support means for supporting the ball, a tucking blade, means for driving said blade in a direction generally tangential to the outer circumference of a ball on said support and a location means -for locating the end of the sliver extending from said ball in a position for engagement with said blade, whereby movement of said blade tucks said sliver end into said ball.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, in which said locating means includes a guide portion and a stop.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 and including an air nozzle for blowing the end of sliver along said guide portion and into contact with said stop.

10. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said sup port means includes a cradle mounted to hold said sliver ball.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the support means further includes a lifting means for raising said ball from said cradle to bring it into engagement with a stationary plate so as to hold the ball stationary while the blade is driven.

12. Apparatus for winding a cross-wound ball about a rotary spindle whereby the ball has a generally circular outer circumference taken in a plane generally transverse to the axis of said rotary spindle, and for securing the end of sliver extending from said cross-wound ball by tucking the end into the ball, the apparatus having a support means for supporting the ball, a tucking blade, a control means for controlling the relative positions of said sliver end and said blade in a direction parallel to said ball axis when a ball is on said support means, and actuating means for causing said blade to penetrate said ball along a path generally tangential to said outer circumference, a traversing nozzle for supplying sliver to said spindle, a driving roller for winding said sliver on said spindle and means for doiling said ball from said spindle at the completion of winding.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the means for dofiing includes a stripper for dofiing said ball off the end of said spindle and the support means includes a cradle, for receiving said ball and means for holding the sliver taut so that it is broken by the dotfing action.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM S. BURDEN, Primary Examiner. 

